2012 Azalea Festival art unveiled

WILMINGTON NC (WWAY) — The Azalea Festival committee unveiled the 2012 festival art piece Monday night and it was very well received. Artist Terry Sellers Harrison said she wanted to capture a sense of play and a more contemporary idea for now and the future.

In addition to the belles, people were talking bucks, specifically the economic impact of the festival.

“We estimate the 2011 North Carolina Azalea Festival economic impact to be approximately $50 million,” UNCW economist Stephen Meinhold said. “That’s made up of three things: the expenditures by locals and visitors when they attend festival events, the direct festival expenditures and the monetary value of volunteer hours dedicated to the festival.”

Planning is well under way for the 2012 North Carolina Azalea festival. It runs April 11-15.